Researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology have found a way to strengthen solar cells.
The TU/e has discovered that fluoride solar cells made from perovskite considerably reinforces the material. They did this in collaboration with the DIFFER research institute, the University of Twente and Peking University.
Generating sustainable energy is becoming increasingly important in today’s society. Solar cells play an important role in this, but are quite expensive to make. Solar cells made from the mineral perovskite are cheaper to make, but these are easily damaged by light, moisture and heat.
Protective layer
The researchers in Eindhoven, Twente and Beijing have discovered that fluoride is the answer to this form of damage. The fluoride forms a protective layer around the crystal in the perovskite. This ensures that there is no damage to the material.
The study is seen as an important step towards the successful application of perovskite solar cells in the future. But there is still a lot of work to do. The gold standard in the solar energy industry assumes a yield retention of at least 85 percent after 10 to 15 years, and the perovskite cells do not yet meet this standard.
Source: Studio040
